Anything But a Square over at Lili's Little Fairies

Hmm, I think I can hear the collective groans! Anything but a square isn't my favourite either but it's good to try a challenge that drags you kicking and screaming out of your comfort zone. Honest. (So long as I can embellish I'll give it a whirl!!) Here is my effort, another Finnish Star. As promised there is a tutorial to go with it (possibly the world's longest tut - death by photo - and in some cases blurred photo :) )

The paper was one in my stash box and I have no idea where it came from - I have too much paper!!! The lovely swirl is a die-namics die and the snowflakes are spellbinders. Here's a quick close-up (apologies for the colouring - it was, for me, done in super quick time)

* * Honestly, I'm losing my marbles! The reason I made it red and green was so that I could enter the Winter Wonderland challenge and then I nearly forgot to link it up! Barmy woman! So I'm now linking it to Winter Wonderland : Challenge red and green

I'm also entering it into: Simon Says Stamp: Challenge Anything Goes
                                   J&C Creations Challenge - Something a Little Bit Different

Okay, if you're interested in the tut get a LARGE cuppa and a comfy chair and possibly a couple of nurofen. If you get to the end you deserve a gold star and a gin and tonic!!

You will need:

1 piece 12"x12" heavy weight double sided paper or card
ruler
guillotine/trimmer
tacky glue - such as cosmic shimmer glue or art institute glitter glue
pencil
scissors
small pegs (optional)
scoring board (optional)

Cut the the paper into 12 one inch strips.

Measure and mark the 5 1/2 inch and 6 1/2 inch point along the sides of two strips of paper.

For the assembling I work on top of a Martha Stewart scoring board as this helps me line the strips up vaguely straight!! Lay one strip of paper horizontally and glue the centre of the other strip vertically OVER the top of the horizontal strip (glue in place).

To the left of the first vertical strip, lay another piece of paper vertically - this time you need to lift up the horizontal strip so that the vertical strip is UNDER the horizontal strip (glue in place). It's just paper threading and once you've done it once it's easy peasy! 

Lay the fourth strip of paper to the right of the initial vertical strip. Again this needs to be UNDER the horizontal strip (glue it in place)

Okay, strip 5 needs to go above the first horizontal and threads through the three vertical strips. Work from left to right as you look at the strips. This strip needs to go UNDER the first strip (and glue) OVER the middle strip (and glue) and under the third strip on the right (and glue).

The sixth strip needs to go beneath the first horizontal and thread as you've just done - UNDER the first strip, OVER the middle and UNDER the last - glue under all the joins.

We're not half way yet - how ya doing? Another cuppa might be an idea!

This next bit is tricky to explain, but fear not, I have more badly taken photos to help!!
We're going to join strips that are at right angles to each other and glue them together.

Twist the vertical strip of paper so that the underside is facing you.








Twist the horizontal strip in the same way and glue the overlapped area together.

You can either stand and hold the join until it dries (!) or hold it with cute mini pegs!

Repeat this process on all four quarters:

Here's the good bit - you have to repeat this whole process with the remaining six strips of paper! Noooo, don't give up - it really doesn't take that long. This tut is a bit OTT but I'd rather give you too much info than too little and it's giving me the chance to show off my photography skills ;)

Righty ho, now you should have two constructions (!) that look like the one above. Now we've got to join 'em together.

Lay one 'star' on its back (there's a joke in there somewhere!)

Lay the second 'star' on top of it the right side up.

Thread the remaining unattached strips through the star 'points' which they are currently lying over:

Glue in place:

Cut all the excess paper from the star points.










Ta-dah!!!!!! It's done - go have a lie down in a darkened room!

  

The star, I think, looks best on patterned double sided paper. The one I made for the Debbi Moore POTW (Bobbin the Bear Christmas CD) had to be made with plain lilac paper so I embellished it with lots of tiny snowflakes and it doesn't look too bad!

As I've mentioned in previous 'Finnish Star' posts, the original tutorial for the star can be found on the Wiccababe's blog. If you give one a whirl I'd be really cheered if you sent me a link to it!

Blimey, I'm exhausted now! I'm off for a sit down, a cup of tea and an episode of CSI NY! Hope you get a chance to join in the challenge this week - you don't have to make a star!!!!!!!! 

Big hugs, Jayne xxx